Going down? Energy use in buildings could drop with a proposed requirement to Standard 90.1 that regulates ventilation and cab lighting in elevators.

Proposed addendum df to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, takes a first step in addressing inefficiency of ventilation fans and cab lighting, both of which often operate 24/7, regardless of load or occupancy. The addendum is one of 12 proposed addenda to the standard currently out for public comment.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the European E4 Committee estimate elevator energy use to be in the range of 2 to 5 percent of total building electric consumption. Proposed addendum df would require cab lighting systems to have efficacy of not less than 35 lumens per watt; that cab ventilation fans for elevators without air conditioning shall not consume over 0.7 W*s/L at maximum speed; when stopped and unoccupied, with doors closed for over 15 minutes, cab interior lighting and ventilation shall be de-energized until required for operation.

“Two to 5 percent of building energy consumption is significant; beginning to realize those savings using this addendum is an important step,” says Drake Erbe, chair of the 90.1 mechanical subcommittee.